Improvement in capstans



Figi D. KNWLTUN.

' Capstans.

Patented Sept. 22,1874.

llllllM/ l' THE GRPHII CD. PHOThO-UTPLSQ lv-l PARK FLCEJIAY.

JawdunaWZw/b Pag 65 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID KNOWLTON, OF CAMDEN, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAPSTANS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,242, dated September 22, 1874: application filed May 13, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID KNowLToN, of Camden, of the county of Knox and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Capstans; and do hereby declare the same to be fully described in the following specification, and represented in the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 a vertical section, of a capstan provided with my invention. Fig. 3 is an under-side view of the rotary head of the capstan. Fig. 4 is a top view of the capstan-body and the stationary ratchet-wheel as they appear on removal from them of the rotary head and the rotary gear-frame. Fig. 5 is a top view, and Fig. 6 a side elevation, ofthe said gear-frame.

In the capstan containing my improvement the spindle or vertical shaft A, projecting` up from the base B ofthe capstan, is to be stationary, and provided with a ratchet-wheel, C, iixed upon it, so as to be stationary relatively to it and the capstan-body D. The said ratchetwheel is arranged withinthe body D and un derneath the rotary gear-frame E. This latter frame revolves freely on the shaft, and has applied to it, at or near its circumference, one or more pawls, F, to engage with the range c of teeth ofthe ratchet-wheel C. The gears G Gr of the frame E revolve freely on vertical axes b b, and engage with au internal gear, M, applied to the rotary body D, or arranged therein, as shown. Between these gears G G, and engaging with both of them, is a pinion, H, which projects down from, and is fastened to, the rotary head I of the capstan, which, with the gear H, revolves freely on the spindle or shaft A. rIhe said rotary head is furnished with one or more pawls, K, to engage with a series of notches or a circular rack, L, arranged upon the top of the capstan-body or barrel D, all being as represented. On revolving the head in one direction the pawl or pawls K, by engaging with the rack L, willrevolve the capstan-body in the same direction, but when the head is being' revolved in the opposite direction the pawls will slip out of the notches or over the rack without causing the body D to revolve. While the head and body are being revolved in the direction first namedthat is, together in the same direction-the gear-frame E, with its pawls F, will freely revolve with the body,

and over the stationary ratchet-wheel C; but

on the rotary head being turned in the opposite direction the ratchet-wheel C and pawls F will estop the gear-frame from revolving, in which case the pinion H will revolve the gears G G, and as they will be without orbital inotion, though revolving on their axes, they will revolve the internal gear M, and, of course, the capstan-body or barrel D, in a direction opposite to that in which the head may berevolving. The body will thus be turned ata speed slower than that of the head, and so as to enable the power expended in revolving the head to overcome a greater resistance than when the head and body are simultaneously revolved in the same direction and at the same speed.

Important advantages result from having the shaft A stationary, and providing it and the rotary gear-frame E with the stationary' ratchet-wheel C, and the pawl or pawls F, for by such the gear frame can freely revolve with the head and body when they are being turned in the same direction, in which ease the gears carried by the frame will have no rotary motions on their axes. Thus will be avoided all the friction and wear of their gears with which they engage, such as takes place in other capstans, in which, when the head and body are moving in the same direction, the gear-frame moves in the opposite way.

In my improvement entirely dispense with a hollow shaft, a sleeve, and pawl-carrier, fixed to it at its lower end, as shown in the United States Patent No. 35,730, as I arrange the p'awl-rack or ratchet-wheel C in the same chamber with the frame E, and the system of gears Gr G, H, and M, and I fasten said wheel O directly to the shaft A, and pivot the pawls F to the frame E, thereby rendering the capstan simpler, less costly, easier to operate, and less liable to get out of order.

The ratchet-w heel C, fixed to the single shaft A, and arranged beneath, and in the same chamber with, the gear-frame E and the gears G, H, and M, in combination with the pawl or pawls F pivoted to the said frame E, all being substantially as shown and described.

DAVID KNOI/VLTON.

Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, AJ. R. SNOW. 

